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The JCH Shiro Edition Leica M2

The JCH Shiro Edition Leica M2 As some of you may know by now, I am rather fond of coming up with custom camera designs and having them made, case in point the Patina edition camera. Well, my latest one has been finished and I am very happy to share with you the JCH Shiro Edition M2.

I have been working with Kanto camera for a while now to bring people some pretty amazing cameras, and there are many more in the pipeline. But whilst many of the cameras that we work on are quite straightforward black repaints, it is nice to push the boundaries too. I have come up with a number of different customs in the past, some of which really stood out for me.

Once of my favourites was the Imperial Edition Canon P that was made for a friend of mine. I liked it so much that I decided that I would like to see a Leica with a similar color scheme. It took me a while to find the right donor camera. I really wanted it to be a button release, non self timer. They look really good on the Patina edition, but I think the timer would distract from the simplicity of this camera.

It is really interesting to see the reactions of people over this camera. Some think I am insane, whilst others love it. I think it is one of the most beautiful customs I have ever commissioned. It was difficult for me to decide on this one, as the Canon looked so good. But I really feel like this M2 has turned out beautifully.

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But, it cannot stay with me forever. I already have too many cameras, and I need to free up space for the new creations that I have in mind. Therefore the camera is for sale over on my sale items page. www.japancamerahunter.com/current-sale-items

What do you think? Something you would use, or would rather be seen dead with? If you would like to get a camera like this (or something even wilder) made for you then contact me and we can make it happen. Please comment too. What cameras would you like to see and what would you like done?

Thanks JCH

12 comments on “The JCH Shiro Edition Leica M2”

I really want to see a Raw Xpan. maybe i will do it to mine oneday. sure it will look pretty with a custom grip. Customs Hassies (500 series) look like a good idea too. Is chrome a possibility? a Canon F1n in chrome with a 55mm 1.2 chrome nose…

i think the color palette works better on the canon p because it has crisper angles, but it still looks pretty cool. for a “white paint” leica, it’s rounder shape calls for a warm off-white paint (like undyed canvas), natural leather (also uncolored), and nickel or brass details.

Of the cameras that you have commissioned through Kanto, my favorite remains Bernie’s Canon Imperial, although I’d have obscured the engraved P mark or used VT-deluxe with cloth curtains, as the Imperial family would never have used an economy model. That imperial mon was so outrageous, yet so subtle. The whole camera came off looking well thought out and desirable.

My second favorite is Vishal’s orange on blue Leica. The paint finish looks classy in person and is a great testament to Kanto’s professional execution.

Your Patina M2 is not everyone’s cup of tea, but it is a ballsy departure from the norm and carries your own particular stamp of styling. The originality makes the camera. It’s a work of art.

The brassed M3 is undoubtedly the most tasteful of your customs, but the plethora of fake black paint M3s we see today coming out of Hong Kong dealers leaves me with an uncomfortable feeling. I would have asked Kanto to have engraved their logo (or yours) under the paint.

This latest camera is beautiful and obviously not an attempt to pretend to be an antique and would make an excellent presentation gift in the right box with a matching white lens; I think the lenses should match the style of the bodies in all the presentations above.

I do have some ideas of my own, which I will share with you privately. My philosophy has two alternate approaches: the Jaw-Dropper vs a limited edition Production Camera.

By Jaw-Dropper, I mean something so amazing that it hammers itself into your memory as the epitome of some superlative. It should surprise and delight. It should be something nobody would have thought to make, but be instantly memorable and a talking point. For example, there was a very well done rendering of a Hello Kitty Leica. It’s the antithesis of the MP, yet so well done that I’d be proud to own it.

By Production Camera, I mean a camera that represents too many people the best combination of features, the most tasteful presentation of a camera. Some of the LHSA limited editions come close in this regards. You’d make this your signature camera for a decade and people would buy these pretty much of the shelf.